Emotional moment: “Prince Harry’s Emotional Message Amid Backlash Over Controversial Award Will Shock You!”

Prince Harry has sent a message to both serving military personnel and veterans just a day before he is set to receive a controversial award.

Tomorrow night, the Duke of Sussex will be given the Pat Tillman Award at the ESPY sports awards in the US. He is being recognised for founding the Invictus Games a decade ago to support injured and sick servicemen and women, both on active duty and veterans, who are navigating physical and invisible injuries – but has faced backlash being named as this year’s recipient. However, ahead of tonight’s awards, Harry has spoken out for the first time by hailing wounded, injured and sick serving UK personnel and veterans who are to take part in the first Invictus Games to include winter sports.

A 64-strong squad, made up of 60 competitors and four reserves, has been named as Team UK for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler in February. And the Duke said in a message he is excited “to see their passion, determination, and resilience on full display as they take on this new chapter”. The Invictus Games was established in 2014 by Harry as an international adaptive multi-sport event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women, both serving and veterans to participate in as part of their recovery journey.

Harry said: “Congratulations to those selected for Team UK for our first-ever Winter Invictus Games in Vancouver Whistler next February. Team UK will join over 500 competitors from across 20 nations in this groundbreaking event that expands the range and profile of winter adaptive sports.

for our courageous service personnel and veterans to demonstrate their skills in new challenges like alpine skiing, snowboarding and skeleton, as well as providing a truly memorable experience for their families. We’re excited to see their passion, determination, and resilience on full display as they take on this new chapter.”
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The team includes people from all services and of different generations, some of whom are facing challenging physical and mental injuries sustained while serving the UK either at home or abroad. They have a range of injuries including visual impairment, amputation, traumatic brain injuries, PTSD and mental health issues – and have been selected based on the benefit that training for, and competing at the games, will contribute towards their recovery.

Among those making the team are captain, Stephen ‘Hoops’ Hooper, is returning for his second Invictus Games after competing in powerlifting and sitting volleyball at Dusseldorf in 2023. Hoops, who served in the RAF and was diagnosed with PTSD before being medically discharged in 2021. Another is Juliet Bale, 54, whoserved as a nurse in the RAF and Army before being medically discharged after sustaining a traumatic brain injury on operation in Kenya.